Dec.24.14 – Christmas Letter

As with many families today it’s become our custom to share a Christmas Letter within our greeting card with Friends and Family. Perhaps you do the same. This is ours and we share it with you as we offer our warmest wishes for a very special Holiday Season: Happy Chanukah, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Feliz Navidad.

CHRISTMAS2014

The sun is peaking through the window behind my computer screen and the house is quiet. Jose has just called to say, “Good Morning” once more; he left just a few minutes ago on his last road trip of 2014. There will be a couple of events within driving distance but this is the last time, hopefully, he’ll need to get on an airplane this year.

It’s been a busy one, a good one, but not without it’s turmoil. But turmoil can be good —not great; let’s not be ridiculous — but good in the sense that it keeps you focused, keeps you humble and most importantly, appreciative of the sweeter, more abundant moments that could otherwise be lost to routine.

Jose and his manager, Helmuth Schaerf of Vienna, Austria, have covered the globe this year, leaving their mark and keeping the Jose Feliciano Brand very much alive and relevant – from South and North America, to Asia and throughout Europe. They released a beautiful CD and DVD, a concert performed in Israel with the Raanana Symphonette Orchestra, led by Jose’s endearing friend and conductor, Jimmie Haskell, after whom the concert and resulting CD and DVD were dedicated. It was a beautiful concert, now preserved forever.

Other projects, ongoing into the New Year include a new album as seamlessly TRI-lingual as Jose is himself, entitled Latin Street MMXV; an independent film; a documentary; merchandise bearing his name and even another Christmas album. But the one most intriguing of all may be a collection of Mozart’s operatic arias for castrati transcribed for guitar. That’s something that’s never been done by anybody before and has become both a challenge and ultimately, a triumph, for Feliciano, the Guitarist.

As the cornerstone of our Family, the rest of us delight in Jose’s energetic approach to life. The children and I provide the backbone for this operation and remind each other that “It takes a Village” to keep “Daddy’s Thing” going…and so it does.

In the meantime however, Melissa, now 26, puts her heart and soul into her position at the Fairfield Museum and History Center. As one of its managers, she applies her organizational and logistical skills learned as a Feliciano into her work at the museum…and it’s serving her well. Jonnie enjoys life as a 23 year-old fellow who (still) works for Apple (a good thing, too! On-site tech-support has been indispensable for Jose and his new iPhone). With his Mini-Cooper and his friends, it’s pretty good being Jonnie right now. Mikey, at 19, is still rushing to beat the band, literally…his band, Forgetting Fame, has an album and a framework in place to really start going places…it’s such a joy to witness their unbridled enthusiasm.

Regarding Suzy-Q over here? All’s well. I still teach 7 & 8 year-olds, preparing them for their First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion as I do my best to hold down the fort, that is, ol’ Banks Tavern with its charming creaks, ringing phones, barking dogs, singing, chirping and squawking birds and a Family who keep me on my toes. Life is Good! God is Great! And so…

Our prayer for you this year, like every year – in fact everyday – is that you find Peace and Joy (not necessarily only happiness, which is fleeting and oftentimes superficial, but real, unambiguous joy) in every moment of your life, no matter how tumultuous, no matter how demanding, and that you find that in the company of your loved ones. Always.

Jan.18.19 En Mi Viejo San Juan

2019 began with an exciting invitation for Jose Feliciano to join Jimmy Fallon of NBC’s iconic Tonight Show and Lin-Manuel Mirada, writer and star of Broadway’s award-winning “Hamilton,” to the special Tonight Show broadcast from Puerto Rico, aired on January 15th. Jimmy … Continue reading →

Dec.21.18 – Feliciano’s Letter to You, On This Christmas Night

On This Christmas Night… Funny, but I always think that this time of year comes upon us like a prowling animal, sort of like the bobcat that we’ve seen sauntering across our yard and along the river on numerous occasions … Continue reading →

For Immediate Release December 12th, 2018 This week, Jose Feliciano returns to The Vatican to perform in their prestigious annual Christmas celebration, Concerto di Natale, 2018. This year Holy Father Pope Francis’ charity will help the refugees in Iraq and Uganda. Jose and his son, Jonnie, are … Continue reading →